LOS ANGELES – Gabe Vincent might have solely been on the Los Angeles Lakers roster for one and a half seasons now, however his title is one which’s come up in commerce rumors, particularly this season because the Lakers’ seek for a giant man has dominated latest headlines. So when he first bought wind of the Luka Doncic blockbuster commerce, you couldn’t blame him for considering it was him who was being moved.
Following the Lakers’ dominating 122-97 win towards the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, Gabe Vincent shared the small print of his preliminary response upon listening to in regards to the Luka Doncic commerce.
“I used to be with my woman at 7-11 getting Gatorade and getting some water and my telephone was going loopy. . .it occurred to be a good friend of mine calling, he was like, ‘is all the things good, did you hear the information?’ At that time I believed I bought traded,” Vincent recalled. “I referred to as my agent and was like what’s occurring? He’s like, ‘I feel somebody bought hacked, however that is what occurred. . .I went to our group group chat and folks have been sending messages from there, and issues simply occurred quick.”
Within the Lakers’ first sport because the commerce, Vincent stepped up off the bench, as he’s achieved in latest months now. He completed with 12 factors, three rebounds and two assists whereas taking pictures 4-of-8 from the three-point line.
Lakers’ defensive outlook after Luka Doncic commerce
One of many largest areas the Lakers are going to have emphasize within the wake of Anthony Davis’ departure is protection. Davis did rather a lot defensively for the Lakers that isn’t going to be simple to switch or replicate.
Associated Los Angeles Lakers InformationArticle continues under
He was the group’s anchor within the paint and a perennial All-Defensive Group choice. Whereas the Lakers may nonetheless doubtlessly make one other transfer by the NBA commerce deadline to strengthen their frontcourt protection, within the meantime, or ought to that fail to materialize, it’s going to be a group effort.
Vincent is among the many group’s higher defensive gamers. After one of many group’s finest defensive video games of the season, holding the Clippers to underneath 100 factors, he spoke about how important the Dorian Finney-Smith commerce and the return of Jarred Vanderbilt have been in that facet.
“With out having AD down right here to simply clear issues up, after which to make up for lots of errors, guys are compelled to take just a little extra satisfaction,” Vincent stated. “And clearly the addition of Dorian, the addition of Vando, simply takes our protection to the subsequent degree. As level of assault defenders, guys that may change to a number of positions. . .a few of these performs are simply actually inspiring. They make different guys make small efforts that result in huge performs.”
The Lakers have gone 8-2 of their final ten video games, and over that stretch, they’ve had the second finest defensive score within the NBA as per StatMuse. And what’s much more spectacular about that stretch is the final three wins have come with out Davis.
Whereas there’s clearly going to be an adjustment interval, early returns are promising when it comes to if the Lakers can proceed such a protection with out having a defensive anchor like Davis within the paint.